Cell phones not linked to brain cancer, 28-year study shows

Sarah Loughran, University of Wollongong And Ken Karipidis, Monash University

A systematic review of the potential health effects of radio wave exposure has found that cell phones are not linked to brain cancer. The review was commissioned by the World Health Organization and published on Tuesday in the journal Environment International.

Cell phones are usually held to the head while in use and emit a type of radio waves. non-ionizing radiationThese two factors are largely responsible for the idea that cell phones can cause brain damage. cancer first appeared.

This possibility of mobile phones cause cancer is a long-standing concern. Cell phones, and wireless technology more generally, are an important part of our daily lives. It is therefore vital that science addresses the safety of radio wave exposure from these devices.

Over the years, the scientific consensus has remained strong: There is no link between cell phone radio waves and brain cancer or health in general.

Radiation is a possible carcinogen

Despite popular belief, some research studies have been published that suggest the possibility of harm.

In 2011, it was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Radio wave exposure is a possible human carcinogenThe meaning of this classification has been widely misunderstood and has caused some concern.

The IARC is part of the World Health Organization. Its classification of radio waves as a probable carcinogen was based largely on limited evidence from human observational studies. Also known as epidemiological studies, these studies observe the rate of disease and how it may manifest in human populations.

Observational studies are the best tool researchers have to investigate long-term health effects in humans, but the results can often be biased.

The IARC classification was based on previous observational studies in which people with brain cancer reported using their mobile phones more than they actually did. An example of this is known as: INTERPHONE study.

This new systematic review of human observational studies is based on a much larger dataset than what IARC reviewed in 2011.

It includes newer, more comprehensive studies, meaning we can now be more confident that exposure to radio waves from mobile phones or wireless technology does not increase the risk of brain cancer.

No relationship

The new review is a series of systematic reviews It was commissioned by the World Health Organization to take a closer look at the possible health effects of exposure to radio waves.

This systematic review provides the strongest evidence to date that radio waves emitted from wireless technologies are not hazardous to human health.

This is the most comprehensive review on the topic – it looked at over 5,000 studies published between 1994 and 2022, of which 63 were included in the final analysis. The main reason studies were excluded was that they were not actually relevant, which is very normal in search results from systematic reviews.

No association has been found between cell phone use and brain cancer or any of the head and neck cancers.

There was also no association with cancer if a person had used a cell phone for ten years or longer (long-term use). How often they used it — by number of calls or time spent on the phone — also made no difference.

Importantly, these findings are consistent with: previous researchThis suggests that although the use of wireless technologies has increased greatly over the past few decades, there has been no increase in brain cancer cases.

Good thing

Overall, the results are very reassuring. These are our national And international safety limits are protective. Mobile phones emit low-level radio waves below these safety limits and there is no evidence that exposure to them has any effect on human health.

Despite this, it is important that research continues. Technology is rapidly evolving. With this development comes the use of radio waves in different ways, using different frequencies. Therefore, it is important that science continues to ensure that radio wave exposure from these technologies remains safe.

Our challenge is to ensure that this new research dispels the misconceptions and misinformation that has circulated about cell phones and brain cancer.

There is no evidence yet that cell phone exposures have any health effects, and that’s a good thing.

Sarah LoughranDirector of Radiation Research and Consultancy, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and Associate Professor, University of Wollongong And Ken KaripidisAssociate Director, Health Impact Assessment, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and Assistant Professor (Applied), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

This article has been republished from: Speech Licensed under Creative Commons. Read original article.

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